Method and apparatus for simultaneously securing together and perforating paper webs



June 28, 1949. w. G. BoRcHERs 2,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY SECURING TOGETHER AND PERFORATING PAPER WEBS' Filed Nov. 12, 1946 A INVENTOR. WLZZLdWL. G. BO/"cheflf MMLW ' ATTORNE m Patented June 28, 1949 gAIEiS R William, G, Bnrghers, Hoboken, J}, assigngr y aAute rahh eh te r Compass; HQbI i, Malla c rn ratiwo 1e 9 ApplicatiomNovemben12, 1946-, Serial No. 709,251.

( -M 3m61q).,

L5 Claims.

This invention relates" to a, novel methodfor; etur na oe th r up npoe d-w plies of l t ne w thad ite e es r dl r s nd pa vie arl 9 th manu a u e q in ous. m

envelo qest t has-he pos dihe etq ore e makelwntinogs; for-n11. envelopes by; folding: a web. of v stationery longitudinally upon itself, and securing, gerposed l lies; oi the web: tpgetherwith an, we; algng transverse stripes at form width intervals. The resulting. strip. of series-con:

nes ed en o pocke w ey da t on -h: the, transverse stripes; of adhesive, or transverse weakened-severance lines can be 7 formed thereinv so. that theistripe;can be readily severed-into active adhesive to the desired areas: prior; t fold;- in tth iweb, carrymeut. h am ne perat qn arid pressingt the plies together. while the ad hes' req ire s e maehinem. an -1 r tiy lx mgv convenient and expensivea more satisiactery procedure involves: applie cation of an; inactive t adhesive, to theweh ever: the desired areas, so that the web can be stored untilt s i edfil cha ebu cant-be onei d nany fielded li -y areas, such as transverse stripes] Thermoplast' adhes ves re sui ed r h s, mfn se an ca e activated a ter the W eJQQisQfglded by heating. However, 1 comeared with QI iQ 'm' a hesiv s sueh as glueorvarious g umsflw-hieh are activated. by quids, h mqp astiaadhesi es arerrelat v syt c x ensive. While adhesive aptivate d b y liquids;

be thrilled.tqtheunio d d eb d he a er s r d fold d. while he h iv i in n isain,activetcondition. However, application of an. adhesive t v their web this manner;

and the v adhesive actiwated to cause the f he w b. to adhe weathe at; the e ired t ve a e he atis aq rt -Pi ec n m ealt I eth dt ex, a tit methe d iv o: se ure the superposed plies i theweb ogetherto rm a q ntm eus en e oe trip has been roposedi heretofqre.

It s n. q iec i inventiont provide a e t d w m pelm ced 1 0 ma in a t p @9 1 2911 e i hl en e ees. rom we, mama supe posed HHQ .qi stat ner nd r fe nable ram haste a t e ed Web, 1 7

: plies through the perioratidns, in suffio 2 on the= contiguous inner surfaces of the plies an ina t-iv ewadhesive susceptible to activationh a act rating liquid; extending over theareasto a e red: tps het In thevbroadje aspects of my invention, it is; an object tel ovide a-sjnrp1e method forsecu 7 ing together a pair; of Y plies of stationeryv hav or gthe sutfaceof at least, one 1 of said. plies, fac the-other biyan; area of-inactiveadhesive of aforesaid-typ It is also a opject of nay-invention to prey a methqd to, form weakened. severance lines i a pair of s up erpose d plies: of stationery havingkart, inaetive-adhesiveas aforesaid; on adjacent con; tig uo is areasrof. said vplies, and for simpltane ously securing said. plies together ad acent; said; eakened $$W a e 1ihes- A further, ohjecflof my invention, is to provide, simple and etii eientgapparatus for carrying o the foregoing prcesses in an efficient and egg; norgi calrmanner. A

Mei r-red:s ebPd m ntii n nt e a. continuous envelope strip is formed from a eer t-wa e wee il st iienera o ded: n tud nall p n; ts f- 1 and-hat n n s war l o ded; surface an inactive adhesive of the type su s p ih ate teem- 39 1 r atm nt withan activating liquid, said adhesive covering areas onati least i org-emf the pliesdof the Web including; transverseI stripes at fornt length intervals. along which it is desired to secure the webs togethei The adhesivei may be. applied to only one 0t; the plies oi] the wel but is preferably extended ever eetl iw e was of o h ie to effett a me e pjerfeet bond; 'I'he adhesive can be applied splely;- tolthe areasito be adheredtogethen or, if desired to wider areas, up. to the, entire inwardly to! surfaces of the web. The superposed plies Qf; h e foldedkige are. perfonatecl through the adhesive area's with a perforating instrument such as a perforating rule o r rolle'r; so as to form weakened severance lines, particularly transverse severance lines, at iQ -m length intervals An activating} liquid. for the adhesive. is introducedbetween the amount topenetrate a short distanee adja said QBILfiQIfitiQljlS so as to activate the adhesive, and-far lhomlrbetwee h P When h tre res e th In accordance withthe preferred process of; my, in ion, introduction oft the activating iqu d s apcqrnelish dv im l ane t w th perfpmfiin Qperat Q bx mois ni e t e pe emi ine membertqrr strumen th eeist li d u t eiexeg Q while its-m t the e ernn ed plies of the web. The adhesively superposed plies are then preferably pressed together to insure formation of a bond between the plies by the activated adhesive.

The apparatus required for carrying out the process of my invention comprises a conventional perforating device such as a perforating rule or roller and a moistening device such as a wick which contacts the perforating rule or other instrument as it enters the superposed plies of sta tionery. Advantageously, a presser device is provided for holding the webs together at the point where the perforation is effected or after the webs pass beyond the perforating station.

It will be noted that the equipment required is of the utmost simplicity and can be readily constructed by a simple modification of an apparatus for perforating webs. The small amount of liquid adherin to the perforating member as a result of contact with the moistening device is sufficient to spread between the superposed plies of the stationery, particularly as a result of capillary attraction, so as to activate the adhesive solely over an area adjacent the perforations. Thus, in an envelope strip manufactured in accordance with my invention the successive en velopes are joined together at transverse weakened severance lines and have their plies adhesively secured together in face-'to-face relation adjacent the said severance lines. If need be, the amount of liquid transferred from the moistening device to the perforating member can be regulated by applying a repellent film, for example, a film of oil if the activating liquid is water, to the perforating instrument, so that lesser amounts of the liquid will be carried to the webs.

My invention will be more fully understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for carrying out the process of my invention Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a strip of stationery suitable for use in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 3 is a modification of the strip shown in Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a continuous envelope strip made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 5 is a modified form of the envelope strip. Referring to the drawings, a continuous web of stationary l0, shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a coating on one surface thereof of inactive 1adhesive ll susceptible to activation by treatment with a liquid. The web i I! is folded longitudinally upon itself along a, fold line l3, The latter may be centrally located in the strip so that both plies of the resulting folded web are of equal width, but advantageously one of the plies extends beyond the other so as to leave a projecting margin l4 connected to the strip at a fold line Ma and preferably provided with notches l4b at form length intervals to form flaps for the series of envelopes to be made from the web. The margin I4 is likewise coated with the adhesive II, as shown, for closing the envelope flaps. Instead of applying the adhesive H as a continuous coating to one side of the strip Iii, it may be applied in transverse stripes l5 at form length intervals extending transversely on at least one side of the fold line [3a as shown in Fig. 3, the adhesive II also being applied to the flap-forming margin M. For additional reinforcement, if desired, th

adhesive l I can also be applied along a longitudinal stripe l2 running along the fold line I3. The arrangement of Fig. 3 is preferable to that of Fig. 2 for reasons of economy in use of adhesive, and to avoid the possibility that the coating might be accidentally activated to cause the plies of the web to stick together at undesired points.

The adhesive H may be of any type susceptible to activation upon treatment with a liquid, preferably a volatile liquid. Adhesives which can be activated with Water such as ordinary animal glue, or gums prepared from starch or other vegetable sources such as dextrin, are preferably used by reason of their relatively low cost. However, other adhesives which can be activated by organic solvents, such as natural or synthetic resins, cellulose esters and ethers, and the like can be used if desired.

The strips shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are advantageously provided with pin feed apertures Hi, arranged in symmetrical longitudinal series on opposite sides of fold line I 3 so as to coincide when the web is folded upon itself along line l3, said apertures facilitating advancement of the web by increments of a form length interval.

In carrying out the process of my invention, a continuous web of stationery carrying an in; active adhesive as shown in Fig. 2 or 3, is folded longitudinally along line 13 brin the two plies thereof into face-to-face relation, the adhesive coating H, or stripes l2 and I5 being on the inwardly folded or contiguous surfaces of the plies. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the web I!) can be withdrawn from a roll ll across a guide bar l8, and progressively folded longitudinally along fold line It at a folding station I9. Advancement of the Web can be effected or controlled by en-' gagement of a pin feed device 20 with the apertures It in the folded web.

The web is intermittently advanced by form length intervals to bring stripes 15 or notches Mb into registry with a transverse and longitudinal perforating device 2! which comprises per-forating rules 22 and 22a, and a table 23 on which the 4, folded web I0 is supported. The perforating rules 22, 22a are operated preferably automatically to engage the web at form length intervals each time the web comes to rest after advancement and pierces the superposed plies thereof with lines of perforations forming weakened severance lines 2212 and 220 as shown in Fig. 4. In order to hold the web during the perforating operation, a stripper 24 descends to clamp the web Ill against table 23 during each operation of the perforating device 2|. The stripper 24 and perforating device iii are then retracted during further advancement of the web.

On one or both sides of the perforatin rules 22, 22a, the perforating device 2| comprises a wick 25 of felt or other absorbent material, which contacts that portion of the perforating rules which perforates the superposed plies of web Iii, as the rules descend to engage the web Iii, The wick 25 is moistened with an activating liquid for the adhesive II, for example water, by a drip device 26 supplied from a reservoir 21. The perforating rules 22, 22a, contact the wick 25 during the perforating operation and is thereby moistened with a small amount of the activating liquid which adheres to its blades. As it penetrates the superposed plies of the web I9, the liquid carried by the blades is introduced between the plies of the web spreading a short distance around the lines of perforations 22b, 22c,

76 particularly by reason of the capillary attraction 4. The method of making a continuous envelope strip constituted by a longitudinally folded continuous web having transverse weakened severance lines at form length intervals, the superposed plies of said web being adhered together adjacent said transverse severance lines, which comprises longitudinally folding a web having on the inner surface of at least one of said plies an inactive adhesive susceptible to activation by treatment with an activating liquid, extending at least over an area including said transverse severance lines; perforating the superposed plies along said severance lines; simultaneously introducing an activating liquid for said adhesive through the resulting perforations between said plies; and pressing said plies together adjacent the transverse lines of perforation.

5. The method of making a continuous envelope strip constituted by a longitudinally folded continuous web having transverse weakened severance lines at form length intervals, the superposed plies of said web being adhered together adjacent said transverse severance lines, which comprises longitudinally folding a web having on the inner surface of at least one of said plies an 6. The method of making a continuous envelope strip constituted by a longitudinally folded continuous web having transverse weakened severance lines at form length intervals, the superposed plies of said web being adhered together adjacent said transverse severance lines, which comprises longitudinally folding a web having an inactive adhesive coating on its inwardly folded surface; transversely perforating the superposed plies along said severance lines at form length intervals with a perforating member moistened with said activating liquid; and pressing said plies together adjacent the resulting transverse lines of perforations.

7. The method of making a continuous envelope strip constituted by a longitudinally folded continuous web having transverse weakened severance lines at form length itnervals, the superposed plies of said web being adhered together adjacent said transverse severance lines, which comprises longitudinally folding a Web having an inactive adhesive on the inwardly folded surfaces of the resulting plies, extending at least over the area adjacent said transverse severance lines; perforating the superposed plies along said severance lines; simultaneously introducing an activating liquid for said adhesive between the plies through the resulting perforations; and pressing said plies together adjacent the resulting transverse lines of perforation.

8. The method of making a continuous envelope strip constituted by a longitudinally folded continuous web having transverse weakened severance lines at form length intervals, the superposed plies of said web being adhered together adjacent said transverse severance lines, which comprises folding a web having an inactive adhesive susceptible to activation by treatment with an activating liquid on the inner surface of at least one of said plies, extending over stripes including said transverse severance lines; transversely perforating the superposed plies along said severance lines with a perforating member moistened with an activating liquid for said adhesive; and pressing said plies together adjacent the transverse lines of perforations.

9. In an apparatus for securing together a pair of superposed plies of stationary, having on at least one of said plies an inactive adhesive susceptive to activation by treatment with an activating liquid on the surface of the ply facing the other ply; perforating means for perforating said plies through said adhesive area; and means for simultaneously introducing an activating liquid for said adhesive between the plies through the resulting perforations.

10. In an apparatus for securing together a pair of superposed plies of stationary, having on at least one of said plies an inactive adhesive susceptive to activation by treatment with an activating liquid on the surface of the ply facing the other ply; perforating means for perforating said plies through said adhesive area; and means for rncistening said perforating means with said activating liquid, prior to perforating operation of said perforating means.

11. In an apparatus for securing together a pair of superposed plies of stationary, having on at least one of said plies an inactive adhesive susceptive to activation by treatment with an activating liquid on the surface of the ply facing the other ply; perforating means for perforating said plies through said adhesive area; means for moistening said perforating means with said activating liquid, prior to perforating operation of said perforating means; and means for pressing the superposed plies together adjacent the resulting perforations.

12. In an apparatus for securing together a pair of plies of stationary, at least one of which is provided with an inactive adhesive susceptible to activation by an activating liquid on an area of at least one ply in contact with the other ply, and for forming a weakened severance line therein, means for perforating said web along a severance line transversing said adhesive coated area; means for simultaneously introducing an activating liquid for said adhesive between the plies through the resulting line of perforations; and means for pressing said sheets together adjacent the resulting line of perforations.

13. In an apparatus for securing together a pair of plies of continuous form stationary having on areas of at least one of said plies an inactive adhesive susceptible to activation by treatment with an activating liquid, means for advancing said stationery; means for perforating said plies along a severance line; and means for simultaneously introducing an activating liquid for said adhesive through the resulting perforations.

i l. In an apparatus for securing together a pair of superposed plies of continuous form stationery having on either side of transverse severance lines, at form length intervals, on the surface of at least one of said plies in contact with the other 7 ply, an area of inactive adhesive susceptible to activation by treatment with an activating liquid; means for advancing said plies of stationery; a perforated member; means for activating said member to perforate the superposed plies along transverse severance lines; means for moistening said perforating member with an activating liquid for said adhesive prior to each perforating operation; and means for pressing said plies together adjacent the resulting lines of perforations,

15. In an apparatus for securing together a pair of superposed plies of continuous form stationery having on either side of transverse severance lines, at form length intervals, on the surface of at least one of said plies in contact with the other ply, an area of inactive adhesive susceptible to activation by treatament with an activating liquid; means for advancing said plies of stationery; a perforated member; means for activating said member to perforate the superposed plies along said transverse severance lines; a wick for contacting said perforating member prior to each perforating operation thereof; and means for 10 moistening said wick with an activating liquid for said adhesive.

WILLIAM G. BORCH'ERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referentces are of record in the file of this patent:

Ul IITED STATES PATENTS 

